Midland clergy comment on Pope's resignation

By Matthew Woods mwoods@mdn.net

Published
6:30 am EST, Thursday, February 14, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI shocked the world Monday when he announced he would be stepping down from his position effective Feb. 28. Citing the personal reasons of “lack of strength of mind and body,” he is the first pope to voluntarily step down in almost 600 years.

“Everyone I have spoken to is shocked,” said Father Pete Gaspeny of Blessed Sacrament Parish Community of Midland. Like many people on Monday, Gaspeny first learned of the announcement when he tuned into the national news at 7 a.m. “I woke up and turned on the news. It was quite a surprise,” he said.

Although the announcement will have an impact at the global level for the church, Gaspeny said that things will continue as usual for his church and congregation.

“It is not something that will specifically affect our church,” he said.

Gaspeny has been pastor of Blessed Sacrament for the past 11 years.

“I commend him for making this decision. All of the travel has got to be tough on him,” Gaspeny said. “We will certainly pray for Pope Benedict.”

Father Kevin Maksym of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church learned of the pope’s retirement from phone calls from several of his parishioners Monday morning.

“I received calls from friends and family about the announcement,” Maksym said. When asked how this change in power at the highest level of the Catholic Church would impact his parishioners, he said that although it is a sad announcement for his flock, the impact in Midland will be minimal.

“It affects us in the sense that he is the universal head of the church, and we are sad to see him go, but things here will continue on as normal,” he said.

“I believe it is a very courageous and a brave move,” Maksym added. “The decision to step aside for the good of the church is a very humble choice. He is a prayerful and good man.”

Maksym said that he is confident the Catholic Church will make the right decision in picking a successor, something he believes will happen by the Easter holiday.

Pope Benedict had planned on retiring from his duties with the church some time before 2005, the year he was chosen to replace Pope John Paul II. Benedict had submitted his resignation on three separate occasions before that time, citing health reasons. However, he chose to stay on with the church at the request of Pope John Paul II.

Before accepting the office of the pope, he taught theology as a professor in many different universities in Germany. He was ordained as a priest in 1951, and eventually served as dean of the College of Cardinals, the church body that staffs the papal concave. The papal concave, the church body tasked with selecting a new pope, is not expected to begin until Pope Benedict’s resignation takes effect Feb. 28. Speculation about who will make the list of applicants has already begun.

Benedict is the ninth pope of German origin, and the 265th pope to serve the Catholic Church.